Writing Portfolio

The Comeback- my personal story of returning to running after traumaTriathlon Magazine, March / April 2017 – read article here It was meant to be the culmination of a training journey. Instead, my Challenge Wanaka in New Zealand’s South Island was a near-death experience. I recount my experience and my eventual return to racing.

Silicon Valley North Gives the U.S. Race Platforms Reason to SprintCanadian Running Magazine, July / August 2016 – read more hereLondon, Ont.-based Race Roster is revolutionizing the race scene

Destination: Wanaka, New ZealandTriathlon Canada Magazine, May / June 2016A race vacation in New Zealand’s magical mountains. A fierce burned orange sky crept above the Crown Range as full- and half-distance athletes, teams and families crowded the alpine lake. The 10th edition of Challenge Wanaka, New Zealand’s largest triathlon festival, was set to launch, but the day’s first spectacle was already underway. Even the most focused triathletes coldn’t help but be enchanted by the scene before them. (Tania participated in this race.) Read here.

Club Scene: Running the River CityCanadian Running Magazine, May / June 2016 – read article here
Faster together. Goal driven. Edmonton-loving. Community focused. The River City Runners are bringing people together in Alberta’s capital.

I Will: A Runner’s Recovery From ParalysisCanadian Running Magazine, January / February 2016With nine broken vertebrae, 11 broken ribs, a punctured lung and no sensation below his waist, doctors gave Robert MacDonald a five per cent chance of ever walking again. Three years later, he’s training for his first marathon. Read more.

Healing Through RunningCanadian Running Magazine, October/November 2015“I had to give up my old friends,” Schneider said. “I had to stay clear of my family as well. I can’t hang out with anyone who does what I used to do because it’s a trigger. Addictions are hard. It took a long time for me to accept that.” Read more.

The Survivor: The extra-ordinary story of Sylvia Weiner, who survived the Holocaust and went on to be a pioneering marathonerCanadian Running Magazine, July/August 2015“I always wanted to live. I never believed I was going to survive. That I did, helped me move forward.” Read more.

Terry Fox: 35 Years of the Marathon of Hope – Running to the Heartbeat of a NationCanadian Running Magazine, May/June 2015To see Terry Fox was to love him. Tania Haas reflects on the Canadian runner’s legacy andthe run that made him a legend.

Sporting Life 10K Races: Changing Lives in Two CitiesCanadian Running Magazine, March/April 2015Now you have two reasons to make a note in your calendar on May 10, 2015: Mother’s Day, and the Sporting Life 10Ks in Ottawa and Toronto.

Common Trail InjuriesCanadian Running Magazine, Trail Special 2015The very aspects that make trail running an alluring alternative are the very reasons it can be hazardous. Uneven terrain and unexpected elements keep runners engaged but can also lead to difficult injuries. Read more here.

Cardiac Rehab Runners Rise To Run AgainCanadian Running, January 2015Great Strides: Tania Haas witnesses and is inspired by once-sidelined runners whose resilience takes them through an arduous heart rehabilitation program to race, run and thrive. Clickhere.

Don’t drink the water: mercury poisoning in CanadaContributoria, November 2014, distributed by The GuardianIn the 1960s, a pulp and chemical mill owned by the British multinational Reed Paper Limited, with government permission to work in northern Ontario, intentionally dumped 10 tonnes of mercury into the English-Wabigoon River. This river was the livelihood and food source for the fishermen, hunters, trappers and families of Grassy Narrows First Nation, an indigenous community located 2,000 km north-west of Toronto, Canada’s largest city. The impact was immediate. Animals that ate fish started acting funny, and soon adults did too. Weakened motor control, slurred speech, tunnel vision and miscarriages became a common occurrence. Studies were conducted, politicians were made aware of the dangers and risks, and solutions were thrown about and debated. The debate is ongoing 42 years later. Read more at Contributoria.

Breakingdown barriers to mental health-care in CanadaHospital News, October 2014
An estimated 1.2 million Canadian children and youth are affected by mental illness—yet less than 20 per cent will receive treatment. This investigative piece looks at resilient teen mental health and the barriers and avenues to supporting it in our country. The complete article can be found at Hospital News or in a pdf for the full cover page experience!

Women Risk Everything In Fight For Human RightsContributoria, October 2014
A former Notre Dame student and 28-yr-old female lawyer is jailed in Egypt for non-violent protest. She represents thousands of human rights defenders around the world who are threatened, imprisoned or worse in their effort to implement fair laws and living conditions for women. Click here for full article.

Grassy Narrows Fights Colonialism’s Toxic LegacyRicochet, August 13, 2014
After 50 years of mercury poisoning, the First Nation still stands strong. Full article on Ricochet here or you can read it here on this personal website.

Tech Company Offers Mobile Tools for African Health AdvocatesA version of this article was published in Contributoria, August 2014Canadians hold key roles at Medic Mobile, which uses cell phones to support community health workers improve basic health outcomes. Full articlehere.

Mobile Banking Promises Women Relief from PovertyContributoria, July 2014 distributed by The GuardianWomen in the world’s poorest countries are climbing out of poverty thanks to new financial services offered through their mobile phones. An untapped $13B market awaits those banks and mobile operators able to engage these disconnected but lucrative clients. Full article here.

A Marathon in BethlehemCanadian Running Magazine, July/August 2014
The race that’s building bridges and connecting runners in a divided land. PDF here

It’s Time to Start Using the M-WordHospital News, May 29, 2014
“These aren’t hippies getting high. These are desperate people who find life can be livable again thanks to medical cannabis. To ignore the medical properties of the plant is shortsighted,” said a doctor and medical cannabis advocate. Find out why Canadian doctors are hesitant to have the marijuana conversation. Full article here or PDF here

My Race Through Walls in Palestine MarathonFast Forward,The Jewish Daily Forward, April 21, 2014
Tania Haas had never visited the West Bank nor seen the Israeli separation barrier before. Running a marathon opened her eyes to life for Palestinians, even for a few breathless hours. Full article here or PDF here

Dull, fragile hair? Cold weather might not be to blameJason Lee and Tania HaasThe Globe and Mail, April 18, 2014
Merciless temperatures outdoors and dry heat indoors do little to soothe your hair. But blaming brittle and lustreless locks on the cold may be misdirected. Full article here

The Vaccine ConversationHospital News
While vaccines are free and readily available in Canada, cases of infectious diseases, like measles and pertussis are on the rise. The resurgence is a result of Canada’s falling child vaccination rates — resulting from parental complacency and hesitancy, widespread misinformation, a fragmented national strategy and passive public health efforts. The full article can be found at Hospital News

Asbestos: Legal and Lethal in the U.S.A. Produced with Visual.ly for the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization
There is no safe level of exposure to this commonly used construction product, and yet imports continue. Thirty Americans die each day from preventable asbestos-caused diseases. The full infographic can be found at http://visual.ly/asbestos-legal-and-lethal-usa or here

Mexico’s Economy Appears Poised To Emerge From China’s Shadow International Business Times, January 31, 2014Economists say America’s southern neighbor is on the cusp of a major boom, yet doubts remain about its severe income inequality and crime. Freelancer Tania Haas reports. Full article here

Mental Health Resources for FrontlineStaffHospital News, January 2014
A first-of-its-kind, five-part multimedia book series created by two of Mount Sinai’s own is helping clinicians bridge the gap for patients with mental health issues. Full article here

Vibrant Storytelling in TorontoblogTO Sept 2013A College Street West cafe transformed into an intimate theatre where stories were told to a room full of strangers. True Stories Told Live 2013 season concludes October 30. Luckily for eavesdroppers and exhibitionists alike, there are lots of other options. Full article and photographs here

Creating Comfort Where There is No CureHospital News, April 2013
It takes a different approach to medicine to treat patients who are living out their final months, weeks and days. While most fields of medicine work to save lives, palliative care helps patients when medical needs turn from cure to care. Full article here

Fairground AttractionsHello! Canada
Sisters Moira Sanders and Lori Elstone bring their culinary training home with a book of recipes from their local harvest festival.
Click here for article and recipes

Three Chefs, One MissionHello! Canada
Talented trio Michael Bonacini, Massimo Capra and Jason Parsons bring the art of fresh seasonal cuisine to the home kitchen.
Click here for article and recipes

The Guru of BarbecueHello! Canada
Family, food and fire are the passions fuelling Ted Reader, a master of the grill with a famously creative repertoire.
Click here for article and recipes

A Feast for the Senses: Lucy Malouf on Iran’s Culinary JewelsHello! Canada
Cookbook authors Lucy and Greg Malouf indulge their wanderlust – and their palates – with a food-fuelled journey through Iran.
Article and recipes here

Follow the Road to RecoveryCanadian Running, March/April 2012
Some injuries can take months, even years to heal. Patience and a well-rounded approach can increase your chances of a successful return to running.
Full article here

When Plugging into Technology Means Tuning out of a RelationshipToronto Star, 2011
“Any smartphone can represent a threat to the security or safety of a relationship. It can leave one person wondering if they are important,” says Dalton who specializes in treating couples at the Clinic on Dupont, an alternative health care centre that assesses and treats psychological problems. “It’s really hard to carve out a space without technology.” Full article here

Hot Wheels: Two lawyers are spending seven days in a Mazda Miata, driving fast and raising cash for charityPrecedent Law & Style Magazine, July 2010
Two lawyers dressed in tight, fire-retardant suits sounds like a lead-in to a bad joke. But Dean Novak and Rob Hansen, who met at Osgoode Hall Law School in the 1990s, are suited up for a car race. On September 11, the men will squeeze into a custom-racing 1999 Mazda MX-5 Miata to take turns driving in the Targa Newfoundland, a seven-day, 2,200-kilometre charity car rally. The Targa shares all the risks of professional racing: in 2008, five cars didn’t finish, and last year a competitor was taken to the hospital on a stretcher after spinning out on a training run. Full article here

A Foreign Affair Hello! Canada
Superstar Miami chef of Argentinian-American-Jewish descent, Michelle Bernstein, offers up a unique take on Latin cuisine infused with colourful world flavours.
Article and recipes here

For the Love of Good FoodHello! Canada
Simple cookbook author Rozanne Gold shares how she bonded with her mother and daughter – and U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama – over a passion for the plate
Article and recipes here

Cook Yourself ThinHello! Canada
Former model Candice Kumai trades in her Manolos for Chef’s Clogs – and still stays fit and fabulous
Article and recipes here

Tick-Tock, Aging and FertilityHello Canada! Health March 2009
While new moms Nicole Kidman, 41, and Halle Berry, 42, remind us that getting pregnant isn’t just a young woman’s game, the reality for most older women is that it’s not easy. Full article here

Dr. Mom Approaches Running with Humour, FlexibilityWoman.ca, October 2009
Toronto-based chiropractor and new mom, Clara Leung, will be running in this Sunday’s Toronto Half-Marathon. Woman.ca asked Clara a few questions about how motherhood has changed her perspectives on training and tips on how we can make running a part of our regular fitness regime. Full article here
In Homage to Buddha, a Splash of FreedomCity Section, The New York Times, June 2007
GREAT KILLS HARBOR, STATEN ISLAND — As the sun set on Staten Island’s south shore, a Tibetan Buddhist named Gyatso carried a crate of live shellfish down to the harbor. Squatting on a rock, his sneakers perilously close to the water, he submerged the crate, and then tossed the marine snails, one by one, into the sea. As he did so, he murmured the words “Om mani padme hum,” the mantra of compassion, for liberation from all negative karmas. “The best news,” Gyatso said of the snails, “is that they are saved from the frying pan.” Full article and photographs here. Click here to listen (recorded June 2007 in Staten Island, NY and aired on Columbia’s Uptown Radio)

Sikh Case Extends Religious Sanctuary Beyond the Church News 21, July 2007
ABBOTSFORD, BRITISH COLUMBIA — In a case that tests the tradition of sanctuary, a paralyzed man faced with a deportation order has taken refuge in a Sikh temple in this western Canadian city. In early July, just two days before Laibar Singh, 48, was to be accompanied by Canadian officials to a hospital in India, he moved into the residence of a Sikh priest on the property of the Gurdwara Kalgidhar Darbar Sahib Society. This is the first time a Sikh temple has become a place of sanctuary in Canada. In the past, Christian churches have served as refuges for individuals avoiding deportation. Full article and photographs here

Holy Man on a Mission News 21, July 2007
VARANASI, INDIA – The Ganges River runs from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal, making it one of the world’s longest rivers. It is also one of the most polluted. One scientist, who is also a holy man, believes that his life’s mission is to cleanse the river. Click here for audio piece

Sanctuary: Old Idea, New MovementNews 21, July 2007
New York, NY – Last August, Elvira Arellano moved into a Chicago church in order to avoid a deportation order that would separate her from her 7-year-old American son. Almost a year later, she’s still living in the church. Eight other undocumented immigrants have since followed Arellano’s lead and sought refuge in religious institutions across the country. Their supporters say that such acts of civil disobedience represent a new branch of religious advocacy, called The New Sanctuary Movement. Click here for full article

Child Soldier Pens Warning to African ArmiesColumbia University’s Uptown Radio, Spring 2007
At 15, Sierra Leone native Ishmael Beah’s family was killed. Armed with an AK-47, he joined in the country’s civil war. Tania Haas reports that child soldiers, like Beah, may take years to recover. Click here to listen